Synthesis of Nonlinear Optical Dyes for Neurophysiology

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Understanding how the brain works is one of the great unsolved scientific challenges. In order to learn how neuronal networks process information, we need a way of mapping the voltage changes in neurons, with high sensitivity, high spatial resolution and high temporal resolution. Besides the well established routes for measuring changes in cell membrane potentials, such as microelectrodes, Ca2+ -indicators and excited fluorescence spectroscopy, the Second Harmonic Generation (SHG) – microscopy proves to be a promising non-invasive, high sensitive tool. The aim of this research project is to develop suitable SHG-dyes, which match the required properties so that they exhibit a high sensitivity to an external electrical field. Based on the lead structure of a SHG-active porphyrin, which was recently found as promising candidate for SHG-microscopy and can be described as “Push-π-Pull“- chromophor, this goal will be achieved by varying several structural motives (donor, π, acceptor) in the dye.